- Trump claimed the U.S. is earning $2 billion a day from tariffs, but offered no details to back it up.
- Treasury data shows daily customs tax revenue is averaging closer to $200 million, far below Trump’s figure.
- February’s total customs duties reached $7.25 billion, with March data set to be released soon.
During a White House event on Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. is currently raking in a whopping $2 billion per day from tariffs. “We’re doing very well,” Trump said briefly, without diving into specifics or offering supporting figures.
That’s… quite a statement.
Trump, who’s made tariffs a centerpiece of his trade agenda since stepping into office back in 2017, didn’t explain how that $2 billion figure was calculated—or where it’s coming from exactly. And when you line it up against what the Treasury is actually reporting, well… things don’t quite match up.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department’s daily cash statements—basically the government’s checkbook—“Customs and Certain Excise Taxes” deposits have been averaging closer to $200 million a day this month. That’s not pocket change, but it’s a far cry from the $2 billion Trump mentioned.
Back in February (the most recent full month we’ve got data for), the Treasury pulled in about $7.25 billion in total customs duties. So unless something wildly unexpected happened in March, we’re probably not hitting Trump’s numbers anytime soon.
More clarity may come when the monthly budget statement for March drops on Thursday. Until then, it seems like the $2 billion claim might be more about political messaging than actual math.
